Welder&#39;s glove

ABSTRACT

The invention generally provides a welder&#39;s glove including a back side and a palm side constructed from a thermal-resistant material and defining a cavity therebetween including finger portions, a thumb portion, and a palm portion; at least one element on the back side and extending outward from the back side, the element being constructed of a protective material; and at least one pad formed on the palm side and covering a portion thereof, the pad being constructed of a thermal-resistant high grip material.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61,678,660, filed on Aug. 2, 2012. The disclosure of this application is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates a welder's glove. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-purpose welder's glove. Most particularly, the present invention relates to a glove constructed of fire retardant or heat resistant material suitable for welding, and having elements formed on and projecting outward from the outer surface of glove to protect the user from impacts or other injury causing events.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally provides a welder's glove including a back side and a palm side constructed from a thermal-resistant material and defining a cavity therebetween including finger portions, a thumb portion, and a palm portion; at least one element on the back side and extending outward from the back side, the element being constructed of a protective material; and at least one pad formed on the palm side and covering a portion thereof, the pad being constructed of a thermal-resistant high grip material.

The invention further provides a welder's glove including a back side and a palm side defining a cavity therebetween including finger portions, a thumb portion, and a palm portion, wherein the back side and palm side are constructed of a thermal resistant material; at least one element on the back side and extending outward from the back side, the element being constructed of a protective material; and a pad area covering the tips of each of the finger portions having an inner layer constructed of a thermal resistant material and an outer layer constructed of a high grip material

The invention also provides a welder's glove including a back side and a palm side constructed from a thermal-resistant material and defining a cavity therebetween including finger portions, a thumb portion, and a palm portion; at least one element on the back side and extending outward from the back side, the element being constructed of a protective material; and at least one pad formed on the palm side and covering a portion thereof, the pad being constructed of a thermal-resistant high grip material; and a cuff extending from the palm side and the back side of the glove in a direction opposite the finger portions to define an opening, the cuff being constructed of a flame retardant material, the cuff including a flap and an adjustable fastener, adapted to attach the cuff in plural attachment points to adjust a circumference of the opening.

FIGURE DESCRIPTIONS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a palm side of a welder's glove according to the concepts of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the back side of a welder's glove.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a welder's glove

FIG. 4 is a left side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 5 is a right side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 6 is a top elevational view thereof.

FIG. 7 is a bottom elevational view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A welder working on a rig often needs to assist the crane operator when positioning materials on the rig. At these times, a typical welding glove will not protect a welder's hands from impact injuries common during rigging operations. Hairline fractures, bruising blows, and pinched fingers are common injuries found when performing rigging operations, for example when lowering bundles of structural angle, large plate, and sub-assemblies, or handling chains and cables. When assisting the crane operator, the welders will often carry a separate pair of rigging gloves to protect their hands. Since rigging gloves are not constructed with the high temperature conditions involved in welding in mind, the welder must carry two types of gloves. This is not an ideal solution since the welder may not always have both types of gloves when asked to help the crane operator resulting in a delay to allow the welder to get the appropriate gloves or in an injury, if the welder assists the crane operator without appropriate protective gloves. Therefore, a need exists for a welding glove that provides protection to allow the welder to use the same glove during welding and rigging operations.

A glove according to the concepts of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings. Glove 10 may be tight fitting yet flexible to provide manual dexterity needed when gripping chains and other metal parts during rigging operations. Glove 10 generally includes an outer surface 12 that is exposed and an inner surface 14 that defines a cavity 15 (FIG. 7) in which the user's hand is received. The side of glove 10 that covers the back of a user's hand will be referred to as a back side 16 and the side of glove 10 covering the palm of a user's hand will be referred to as a palm side 18.

The glove 10 may be formed in a unified manner or constructed of individual sections that are joined together. For example, back side 16 and palm side 18 may be separate pieces that are sewn together to define cavity 15. In the example shown, back side 16 and palm side 18 are sewn together with stitching located within cavity 15 to form an internally seamed glove. An external seam is also suitable. A notch 20 (FIG. 5) may be formed at a base 26 of glove 10, for example along one side of glove 10, to ease insertion of the user's hand into cavity 15 of glove 10. As shown, piping 22 may be applied to reinforce the edge of notch 20 adjacent to base 26 of glove 10. A cuff, generally indicated at 25, may extend outward from base 26 of glove 10 in a direction opposite fingers 28 to cover at least a portion of the user's wrist and forearm. In the example shown, notch 20 is located along a seam 27 of glove 10 and collapses to close notch 20 when the cuff 25 is secured, as described more completely below.

To make it suitable for welding, glove 10 is constructed of temperature resistant materials. In the example shown, the base layer 30 of glove 10 are constructed of light weight grain goatskin. It will be appreciated that different materials may be used on the back and palm sides 16, 18 of glove 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Optionally, a liner layer may line one or more of the back and palm portions of glove 10. In the example shown, a palm pad 32 is applied to the interior of glove 10 on the palm side. To provide temperature resistance, palm pad is constructed of a flame retardant foam and cotton fleece combination. When glove 10 is sewn together, a flame retardant thread, such as a Nomex® or Kevlar® thread may be used.

According to another aspect of the invention, glove 10 includes a long cuff 25. The long cuff 25 extends beyond the carpal bones of the wrist to protect at least a portion of the user's forearm from welding sparks and high heat. The cuff 25 may be a continuous cuff defining an uninterrupted circumference C through which the user's hand is inserted. Alternatively, as shown, cuff 25 may be divided by one or more openings, where the divided portions are attached or closed over each other to cover the user's forearm.

For rigging purposes, a tight fit for the cuff is desirable so that it will not become pinched or entrapped. To that end, an adjustable fastener, generally indicated at 35, may be provided to allow the user to snug the cuff 25 against the forearm when performing rigging operations. For example, a flap or strap 34 may be provided on cuff 25 with a hook and loop fastener 36, like Velcro®, on opposing surfaces of flap 34 and cuff 25 to provide multiple attachment points that allow the user to adjust the circumference C (FIG. 7) formed by cuff 25. A buckle may also be used with flap 34 to fasten the cuff in multiple positions. As a further alternative, a snap, button, or other fastener may be placed on flap 34 and attach to plural receivers on cuff 25 to attach flap 34 in multiple positions to snug the cuff against a user's forearm.

To further ensure a tight fit, cuff 25 may be made of an elastic material or contain an elastic band. In the depicted example, cuff 25 is made from a flame retardant elastic material. In the example shown, notch 20 formed on a base 26 of glove is continued through cuff 25 to allow adjustment of the cuff opening to facilitate proper fitting of the glove to the user's forearm. In this example, cuff 25 is divided into two parts along a side of the glove 10. A flap 36 extends from a back side 16 of glove 10 and is sized to wrap over a portion of cuff 25 on a palm side 18 of glove 10. An adjustable fastener 35 in the form of a hook and loop fastener is provided on an interior side of flap 36 and an exterior side of the palm side of the cuff 25. In this way, cuff 25 and glove 10 may be opened along notch 20 to facilitate insertion of the user's hand and forearm. Then, flap 36 may be pulled tight to the forearm and fastened to cuff 25 to close notch 20 for a snug fit.

Attachment of cuff 25 to glove 10 may be made according to any known method including stitching as shown. To provide suitable durability and flame retardant properties, a flame retardant thread may be used including, for example, Nomex® or Kevlar® thread.

According to another aspect of the invention, best seen in FIG. 1, pad areas, generally indicated by the number 40, may be defined on the palm side of glove 10. Pad areas 40 may be applied to areas on the palm side of glove 10 that typically form contact points when in use or are otherwise subject to increased heat or wear. Pad areas 40 may be constructed of additional layers of fabric or coatings that are applied to the outer surface 12 of glove 10. In the example shown, pad areas 40 are formed on palm side 18 of glove 10, but pad areas 40 may also be formed on back side 16 of glove 10 as needed.

The material for the pad areas 40 may be selected to improve the welder's ability to grip materials and provide heat resistance. The pad areas 40 may be constructed of one or more layers of material or coatings to perform these dual functions. For example, as best shown in FIG. 1, a pad 41 may include an inner layer 42 having good thermal resistance or insulating properties and an outer layer 44 that is constructed of a high grip material or a material that has better wear characteristics than the underlying inner layer 42 or glove 10. In the example shown, combinations of materials are used at different points on the palm side 18 of glove 10 to tailor the characteristics of glove 10. As shown, the tips 45 of the fingers, which cover the distal and intermediate phalanges of the user's hand, have pads 46 constructed of a fire retardant higher-grip material, such as silicon. The portion of the glove's fingers covering the proximal flange portion has pads 48 constructed of grain cowhide to improve thermal resistance at this area. The thumb 50 and palm 52 have layered pad areas 40 with a grain cowhide inner layer 42 and a silicon outer layer 44 to provide thermal protection and improved grip along these areas. By using single layer pads 46,48 on the fingers 28, the fingers 28 are more flexible.

Pad areas 40 may be constructed in various shapes and separated by unpadded areas 55 that correspond to the jointed portion of the hand to facilitate articulation of glove 10. In the example shown, pads 46 are provided at tips 45 of fingers 28 that cover the distal and intermediate phalanges. It will be appreciated that separate pads might be provided for each of the phalanges. Also, in the depicted example, a single thumb pad 56 extends the entire length of thumb 50, which likewise could be divided into multiple pads based on the anatomy of the user's thumb. On the palm 52 of glove 10, a row of padding , generally indicated at 60, is provided over the joint between the proximal phalanges and the metacarpals, which forms the upper portion of the palm 52. The row 60 includes an index pad 61 at the base of the index finger of glove 10 and a minor finger pad 62 that spans the remaining fingers 28 of glove 10. It will be appreciated that the pad row 60 might be further divided into individual pads corresponding to one or more of the fingers 28.

Below this row 60, a thumb-base pad 65 is applied to the palm at the base of the thumb 50, and a heel pad 66 covers the remaining portion of the palm 52 inward of the base of the thumb 50 and below the row of pads 60 covering the joint at the base of the fingers 28. The shapes of the padded areas are arbitrary and chosen for ornamental purposes

According to another aspect of the invention, best seen in FIG. 2, back side 16 is provided with one or more elements, generally indicated by the number 70, that help protect the bony portion of the hand from injury. If desirable, similar elements may be applied to the palm side of glove 10. The elements 70 are generally outward projecting members and may be in any shape or form including narrow elongate elements, referred to as ribs, or wider elements, referred to as bosses. As shown in the depicted example, these elements may be combined. Reference to the elements as ribs or bosses is not intended to imply a particular shape. As will be understood, the shapes of each element may vary to a great extent while still performing their protective function.

Elements 70 may be formed along the back side of the fingers 28, the knuckle portion 72 of glove, and/or the base portion 74 of glove 10 covering metacarpal bones of the hand to provide impact resistance or to help resist crushing/pinching forces. The elements 70 may be constructed of various impact resistive materials including high impact polymer(plastic and rubber materials), thermoplastic resin (TPR), impact hardening polymers, such as Zoombang®, wood, metal, composites, or similar materials that absorb or deflect contact to protect the user's hand. To make the elements 70 suitable in welding applications, the materials may be selected to have high temperature resistance. While, as shown, ribs 76 may be used along the fingers 28 and thumb 50 (collectively the digit portions of glove 10) because their elongate shape facilitates flexing of the digit portions, boss elements may also be used on the fingers with gaps or thinner material at the finger joints to provide similar flexibility in the fingers. The shapes of the elements shown are arbitrary and chosen for ornamental purposes.

In the example shown, finger bosses 78 are provided at the base of ribs 76 to form a combined boss and rib element 70. Additional bosses 80 are provided over the knuckle portion 72 of glove 10. As shown, bosses 80 may be connected to each other by web portions 82 constructed of a thinner layer of material that provides protection yet is more flexible than bosses 80 to allow greater relative flexibility. In the example shown, an additional boss 84 cover the base portion 74 of glove 10. Since less flexibility is needed in this portion of glove 10, boss 84 may be formed as a unitary member.

What has been described above includes examples of the subject innovation. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the subject innovation are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A welder's glove comprising: a back side and a palm side constructed from a thermal-resistant material and defining a cavity therebetween including finger portions, a thumb portion, and a palm portion; at least one element on the back side and extending outward from the back side, the element being constructed of a protective material; and at least one pad formed on the palm side and covering a portion thereof, the pad being constructed of a thermal-resistant high grip material.
 2. The welder's glove of claim 1, wherein the pad is constructed of an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the inner layer is a thermal-resistant material, and the outer layer is silicon.
 3. The welder's glove of claim 1, wherein the protective material is selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic resin, impact resistant polymer, and impact hardening polymer.
 4. The welder's glove of claim 1 further comprising an elongated cuff constructed of a flame retardant material extending from the back side and the palm side defining an opening.
 5. The welder's glove of claim 4, wherein the cuff includes an adjustable fastener to adjust a circumference of the opening.
 6. The welder's glove of claim 1 further comprising a cuff extending opposite the fingers from the base of the glove, wherein a notch is defined between the palm side and the back side a base of the glove and extending through the cuff, wherein the cuff includes a flap extending from the back side, and an adjustable fastener attaching the flap to the cuff on a palm side thereof.
 7. The welder's glove of claim 1, further comprising a the palm pad covering at least a portion of a palm of the glove, the palm pad being located on an interior side of the palm side.
 8. The welder's glove of claim 7, wherein the palm pad is constructed of a flame retardant foam and cotton fleece combination.
 9. The welder's glove of claim 1, wherein the element includes a rib formed on each digit portion of the glove on the back side of the glove.
 10. The welder's glove of claim 1, wherein the element includes a boss over a knuckle portion at a base of each finger portion of the glove, each boss connected to an adjacent boss by a thinner layer of protective material.
 11. A welder's glove comprising a back side and a palm side defining a cavity therebetween including finger portions, a thumb portion, and a palm portion, wherein the back side and palm side are constructed of a thermal resistant material; at least one element on the back side and extending outward from the back side, the element being constructed of a protective material; and a pad area covering the tips of each of the finger portions having an inner layer constructed of a thermal resistant material and an outer layer constructed of a high grip material
 12. The welder's glove of claim 11, wherein the inner layer of the pad area is grain cowhide.
 13. The welder's glove of claim 11, wherein the high grip material is silicone.
 14. The welder's glove of claim 11, wherein the pad area covering the tips of each finger extends over the distal and intermediate phalanges of each finger portion.
 15. The welder's glove of claim 11 further comprising a thumb pad overlying the entire length of the thumb portion on the palm side thereof, wherein the thumb pad is constructed of a thermal resistant material.
 16. The welder's glove of claim 11, wherein the protective material is selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic resin, impact resistant polymer, and impact hardening polymer.
 17. The welder's glove of claim 11, wherein the element includes a rib formed on each digit portion of the glove on the back side of the glove.
 18. The welder's glove of claim 11, wherein the element includes a boss over a knuckle portion at a base of each finger portion of the glove, each boss connected to an adjacent boss by a thinner layer of protective material.
 19. The welder's glove of claim 11 further comprising a cuff constructed of a flame retardant material and attached to the glove by a flame retardant thread, wherein the cuff extends outward from the back side and palm side of the glove to cover at least a portion of a forearm of a user.
 20. A welder's glove comprising: a back side and a palm side constructed from a thermal-resistant material and defining a cavity therebetween including finger portions, a thumb portion, and a palm portion; at least one element on the back side and extending outward from the back side, the element being constructed of a protective material; and at least one pad formed on the palm side and covering a portion thereof, the pad being constructed of a thermal-resistant high grip material; and a cuff extending from the palm side and the back side of the glove in a direction opposite the finger portions to define an opening, the cuff being constructed of a flame retardant material, the cuff including a flap and an adjustable fastener, adapted to attach the cuff in plural attachment points to adjust a circumference of the opening. 